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Stewart-Haas Racing: Darlington NXS Advance (Cole Custer | Riley Herbst)

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Official Release
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COLE CUSTER | RILEY HERBST
Darlington NASCAR Xfinity Series Advance

NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview

  • Event: Shriners Children’s 200 (Round 11 of 33)
  • Date: Saturday, May 13
  • Location: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway
  • Layout: 1.366-mile oval
  • Time/TV/Radio: 1:30 p.m. EDT on FOX/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Cole Custer Notes of Interest

  • After a refreshing off weekend following his back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash victories, Cole Custer will pay tribute to his childhood hero, the late Jason Leffler, during NASCAR’s Official Throwback Weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Custer’s No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will mimic the one that adorned Leffler’s No. 00 racecar for Haas CNC Racing when he drove to that team’s first NASCAR victory at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in June 2004. Furthering the connection, Custer’s crew chief Jonathan Toney worked as an engineer on Leffler’s No. 00 car back in 2004. It was his first job with a NASCAR team.
  • Saturday’s Shriners Children’s 200 at Darlington will mark Custer’s fourth career Xfinity Series start at the track nicknamed “Too Tough to Tame.” The Ladera Ranch, California, native was credited with the victory in his most recent Xfinity Series race at Darlington in August 2019 after finishing second the previous year and ninth in 2017, all behind the wheel of the No. 00 SHR Ford. In the 2019 race, he crossed the finish line .602 of a second behind apparent race-winner Denny Hamlin. But Hamlin’s racecar was disqualified after a ride-height violation was discovered in postrace inspection, giving Custer his eighth of 10 career Xfinity series victories. In the September 2018 race at Darlington, Custer was runner-up to Brad Keselowski by .738 of a second.
  • Custer seems to have found his rhythm. After a challenging opening to the 2023 season, Custer has now driven his No. 00 Haas Automation Ford to four consecutive top-10 finishes – fifth April 1 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway, third April 15 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, fourth April 22 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, and seventh in the series’ most recent race April 29 at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway. He has elevated himself from 12th to sixth in the driver standings over the last four races.
  • Custer has an additional seven starts outside of the Xfinity Series at Darlington, all in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2020 to 2022. His best outing was an 11th-place effort in the September 2021 Southern 500. He scored two other Darlington top-15s in the Cup Series – a 12th-place finish in September 2020 and a 14th-place finish in his most recent Cup Series start last September.

Riley Herbst Notes of Interest

  • In a weekend meant to honor motorsports legends, Riley Herbst and Monster Energy will pay tribute to the late, great Ken Block on the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang for SHR in Saturday’s Shriners Children’s 200 at Darlington. Herbst’s racecar will pay homage to the iconic Gymkhana 3 “Drip” livery that adorned Block’s Ford in the third video of his popular Gymkhana YouTube series. Block piloted this scheme around the high-banked, 1.58-mile oval of l’Autodrome de Linas –Montlhéry, just south of Paris, France in the 2010 video. The veteran rally competitor developed a worldwide following with his popular video series, which has drawn billions of views worldwide and helped launch car culture into the mainstream media.
  • This weekend’s Ken Block tribute is more than skin deep. As a fellow Monster Energy athlete, Herbst sought to continue Block’s legacy. Available for purchase at store.stewarthaasracing.com will be a No. 98 “Drip” hat and t-shirt, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the 43 Institute Ken Block Foundation. The organization was created to carry on Block’s greatest legacy: creating paths of opportunity for the exceptionally driven who lack the proper support. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.43i.org. Select merchandise will also be available at the SHR’s merchandise hauler at Darlington, where Herbst and his teammate Custer will sign autographs at 11 a.m. EDT Saturday.
  • Saturday’s race will mark Herbst’s seventh career Xfinity Series start at Darlington. While his past starts there have been a roller coaster ride for the No. 98 Monster Energy driver, he has also had some of his career-best races at the “Lady in Black.” Last May, he finished third on the 1.366-mile, egg-shaped oval, and he finished fourth there in September 2020. While Herbst is still seeking his first Xfinity Series win, SHR has been victorious twice at Darlington in the Xfinity Series – August 2019 with Custer and May 2020 with Chase Briscoe.
  • After starting the season with six consecutive top-10 finishes, Herbst and the No. 98 Monster Energy team are looking to get back on track this weekend after a recent run of bad luck. He arrives at Darlington eighth in the driver standings, 65 points behind leader Austin Hill.

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang

This weekend, you’re running Jason Leffler’s 2004 paint scheme from when he ran for Haas CNC Racing. What does it mean to you to bring back the livery of one of your heroes this weekend?

“This means a lot to me, especially since I was able to be around this team growing up. I think Jason Leffler was huge for Haas to get that first win. That first win for Haas CNC Racing was huge, and I think it was a perfect combination for Jason to be a part of it. He helped grow the team to another level. On top of that, he was a guy who just wasn’t going to take anything from others. He was a legend and one of my heroes growing up. We came from similar open-wheel and dirt-racing backgrounds, so I think it was just easy for me to look up to him. It’s also cool to be here all the years later and still have JT (Jonathan Toney, crew chief) working with this paint scheme and the No. 00 car. I’m happy to be able to bring another one of his schemes back at Darlington.”

You’ve had some success at Darlington in the past, including your win in August 2019. What is it about this track that makes it a driver favorite?

“There’s so much you can do as a driver at Darlington. You can move your line around, and you can play with how you work the throttle and the brake. You can also experiment with how you run the wall. There’s just a ton that you can do, but the tires fall off so much. You’re just slipping and sliding around. It’s such a unique racetrack with how it’s shaped. There’s a lot that drivers can control at Darlington that you can’t necessarily do at other tracks.”

Riley Herbst, Driver of the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang

Monster Energy and you are running a special scheme this weekend to pay tribute to a motorsports legend, Ken Block. What does it mean to be able to run this iconic tribute to someone who made such an impact on racing?

“I’m really excited to run this tribute to Ken Block’s Gymkhana 3 ‘Drip’ livery. I can’t thank the Block family and Monster Energy enough for allowing us to run the paint scheme. It’s not only special to me, but to a lot of different race fans around the world who Ken made an impact on through his career. It’ll be cool on the high banks of Darlington. This was a unique scenario. I just hope it doesn’t get lost because people think we’re running it because it’s a ‘cool’ livery. We wanted to pay tribute to a man who changed the world of motorsports and had such a hand in getting it into mainstream media. This paint scheme means a lot to Monster Energy and to me, so I cannot be more grateful and honored to be the one to run it at Darlington.”

Darlington is a difficult track, but it’s been one of your favorites. What do you have to do to get back on track and score a top finish this weekend?

“Darlington is tough. Track position is pretty critical from the drop of the green flag, just with how short this May race is at Darlington. It’s only 147 laps. At the same time, I love this racetrack. It’s definitely grown on me these past few years as I’ve learned and gotten more experience. I’m excited to go back there. The No. 98 Monster Energy team has had speed there in the past. Hopefully, we can have that same speed, if not a little more, this year. We’ve had a rough few weeks, and I think everyone noticed. Hopefully, we can get our season back on track and be like we were at the start of the season so we can stack those points for the playoffs.”

Kaulig Racing Weekly Advance | Darlington Raceway

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Official Release
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Goodyear 400
Darlington Raceway
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Sunday, May 14 at 3:00 p.m. EST on FS1

  • Kaulig Racing’s best finish at Darlington Raceway in the NCS came in 2022 when Justin Haley earned a third-place finish.
  • So far in the 2023 NCS season, Kaulig Racing has earned three top-10 finishes and has led one lap.

AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors Camaro ZL1

  • AJ Allmendinger has made 11 NCS starts at Darlington Raceway and has an average finish of 26.1.
  • The 2023 Goodyear 400 will be Allmendinger’s first NCS start at Darlington Raceway since 2018.
  • Allmendinger is coming off of a 14th-place finish at Kansas Speedway, his second-best finish of the 2023 season.

“Darlington is a racetrack that had never really been high on my list, but over the years, running Xfinity there, I definitely felt like I at least got a better understanding of how to drive the racetrack. Hopefully that will carry over to the Cup side of it and allow me to try to be at least better and give us a direction of the way we need to go there. It’s one of the toughest race tracks that we drive on, and it’s always been a huge challenge for me. Hopefully some of the stuff we learned in Kansas carries over to Darlington and we can unload, have decent speed, and work on it from there.” – AJ Allmendinger on Darlington Raceway

Justin Haley, No. 31 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camaro ZL1

  • Justin Haley has made four starts at Darlington Raceway in the NCS.
  • Haley’s best finish at the track came in the 2022 season when he earned a third-place finish, his second-best result in the NCS.
  • So far in the 2023 season, Haley has earned two top-10 finishes.

“We had a really great finish at Darlington last year, one of my best in the Cup Series, so I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to turn our luck around. Darlington is a track that has been up and down for me – it’s definitely a driver’s track. I feel like tires will wear and strategy will be really important. Hopefully we can get some speed back in our race cars and have another good showing at the Lady in Black.” – Justin Haley on Darlington Raceway  

Shriners Children’s 200
Darlington Raceway
NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS)
Saturday, May 13 at 1:30 p.m. EST on FOX

  • Kaulig Racing has made 20 starts at Darlington Raceway in the NXS, two of which were from the pole position.
  • The team has earned four top fives, nine top-10 finishes and has led 90 laps at Darlington the NXS.
  • So far in the 2023 NXS season, Kaulig Racing has earned two wins, two pole awards, seven top fives, 19 top-10 finishes and has led 271 laps.

Kyle Larson, No. 10 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro

  • Kyle Larson will make his first NXS start of the 2023 season at Darlington Raceway.
  • Larson’s last NXS start was in the 2022 Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway where he finished fifth.
  • Larson has made five total starts at Darlington Raceway in the NXS, all of which resulted in top-10 finishes.

“I’m excited to run double duty with HENDRICKCARS.COM this weekend. I would like to thank Kaulig Racing for the opportunity to race with their Xfinity team this Saturday. Kaulig has been putting in some hard work behind the scenes to get the No. 10 ready for a great race. Fingers crossed for a win at “The Lady in Black.” – Kyle Larson on Darlington Raceway

Daniel Hemric, No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet Camaro

  • In his eight-total starts at Darlington Raceway, Hemric has earned one pole award, one top five, three top-10 finishes, and has led 56 laps.
  • So far in the 2023 NXS season, Hemric has one top five, six top-10 finishes, and has led 15 laps with an average finish of 13.8. He currently sits 10th in the regular-season points.

“Darlington is the first, really hot weekend of the year. The heat just brings out more of the character of the race track and what it has to offer. I look forward to unloading our Cirkul Chevrolet and hopefully having good speed and versatility.You have to be able to move around that place from bottom to top to be able to go where they [competitors] are not throughout the run. It’s a fun race track, one of the most fun we go to. I’m looking forward to the challenge.” – Daniel Hemric on Darlington Raceway

Chandler Smith, No. 16 Quick Tie Products Chevrolet Camaro

  • Chandler Smith will make his first start at Darlington Raceway in the NXS in the Shriners Children’s 200.
  • Smith made four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) starts at the egg-shaped oval, qualifying in the top 10 twice. His 7th-place finish in 2021 is his lone top-10 finish at the track.
  • Currently sitting third in both the points and playoff standings, Smith has amassed one win, four top-fives, and a pole position in 10 NXS starts in 2023.

“Darlington is going to be a challenge as it usually is. The Xfinity races there in the past have been awesome to watch, so being a part of them will be fun. Having Kyle [Larson] racing with us will be helpful for me to really learn the track. I haven’t had a ton of success [at Darlington] in the past, but I’m hopeful that I’ll run up front more than I did in the Truck Series.” – Chandler Smith on Darlington Raceway


 
About Kaulig Racing™

Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started and has won back-to-back regular-season championships. Before becoming a full-time NCS team, Kaulig Racing made multiple starts in the 2021 NCS season and won in its seventh-ever start with AJ Allmendinger’s victory at “The Brickyard” for the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The team expanded to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 with Justin Haley piloting the No. 31 Camaro ZL1, and an all-star lineup featured in the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. Haley will continue to drive the No. 31 full-time in 2023, alongside AJ Allmendinger, who will drive the No. 16 Camaro ZL1. The team will continue to field three, full-time NXS entries; the No. 10 Chevrolet driven by an all-star lineup, the No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Hemric, and the No. 16 Chevrolet driven by Chandler Smith. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.

Front Row Motorsports Sets Date and Driver Autograph Times for Boot Barn Fan Day

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Official Release
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McDowell, Gilliland, and Smith to Appear and More

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 10, 2023) – Front Row Motorsports (FRM) will host Boot Barn Fan Day at its race shop in Mooresville, North Carolina on Thursday, May 25. Activities will begin at 10:00 a.m. and run through 4:00 p.m.

Daytona 500 champion Michael McDowell, 2022 NASCAR Craftsman Series champion Zane Smith, and two-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion Todd Gilliland will all sign autographs for fans from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m.

Fans will also enjoy self-guided tours of the FRM Boot Barn garage that houses its Ford Mustang NASCAR Cup Series cars and its Ford F-150 NASCAR Craftsman Series trucks. FRM merchandise for all drivers will be available and Boot Barn will have a mobile display on-site.

ABOUT FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS

Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series. The team is the 2021 Daytona 500 and 2022 Craftsman Truck Series champions. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields the No. 34 and the No. 38 NASCAR Cup Series teams along with the No. 38 Craftsman Truck Series team from its Mooresville, N.C. headquarters. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

CORVETTE RACING AT LAGUNA SECA: Garcia’s Monterey Milestone

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Veteran Corvette ace will become first IMSA driver to make 100th post-merger start

DETROIT (May 10, 2023) – It’s a very special weekend for Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia. With the green flag for Sunday’s MOTUL Course de Monterey, the No. 3 Corvette C8.R ace driver will become the first driver in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship to make 100 starts in the series since the start of the post-merger era in 2014 when the American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM joined together for one American sports car championship.

Garcia and Jordan Taylor will share the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette as they have since 2020. All of Garcia’s previous 99 IMSA starts have come in a Corvette. To mark Sunday’s milestone start at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, we asked Garcia for three of his most memorable races in the series. So without further delay…

  1. Sebring 2017

“My best race with Corvette? I think so. We struggled through much of the race but the car came alive with three hours left when I got in. It was like driving blind because the windscreen was so bad! But I knew I had to start passing cars if we wanted to win.”

  1. Daytona 2021

“I remember this for many reasons. My grandfather and my manager Adrian Campos passed away a few days before. So I really wanted to win that one, and we managed it! But I had a false positive COVID test with four hours to go in the race and had to watch the end from a parking lot outside the track. Definitely a day I will never forget, but I’m happy it ended with a win and a watch!”

  1. VIR 2018

“I tore the ACL in my knee literally three minutes before having to drive the car to the grid. The pain was really bad and it was a tough hour driving. Jan did an amazing job to finish P2 and move us into the points lead. I’m glad my injury didn’t compromise that race or the following, winning another championship with Jan and Corvette Racing.”

The MOTUL Course de Monterey Powered by Hyundai N is set for 12:10 p.m. PT / 3:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 14 and airs live on NBC with full streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will have live audio coverage on XM 207, SiriusXM Online 992 and IMSA.com, which will have IMSA Radio coverage of all practice sessions, Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race.

2023 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTD PRO (After three of 11 events)

Driver Standings

  1. Ben Barnicoat/Jack Hawksworth – 1067
  2. Daniel Juncadella/Jules Gounon – 994
  3. Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 991
  4. Klaus Bachler/Patrick Pilet – 989
  5. Alex Riberas/Ross Gunn – 844

Team Standings

  1. No. 14 Vasser Sullivan – 1067
  2. No. 79 WeatherTech Racing – 994
  3. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 991
  4. No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports – 989
  5. No. 23 Heart of Racing Team – 844

Manufacturer Standings

  1. Lexus – 1067
  2. Mercedes-AMG – 994
  3. Chevrolet – 991
  4. Porsche – 989
  5. Aston Martin – 854

CORVETTE RACING AT LAGUNA SECA: By the Numbers

  • 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for 25 years at Laguna Seca: Corvette Racing, Chevrolet and the Chevrolet Corvette.
  • 3: Tracks where Corvette Racing has competed in each of its 24 previous years: Sebring, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (later this year).
  • 4: Generations of Corvette Racing entries since 1999 – Corvette C5-R (2000-04), Corvette C6.R (2005-13), Corvette C7.R (2014-2019) and Corvette C8.R (2020-present).
  • 4: Laguna Seca victories for the current Corvette Racing lineup – Antonio Garcia (three) and Jordan Taylor (one).
  • 8: Number of Laguna Seca victories for Corvette Racing dating back to 2004.
  • 12: Victories at Laguna Seca for Chevrolet in IMSA competition.
  • 13: Drivers who have competed for Corvette Racing at Laguna Seca. Of those, eight went on to win at Monterey.
  • 14: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.
  • 27: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen
  • 30: Number of wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing since the start of 2014.
  • 34: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999. Ben Keating and Nico Varrone joined that list with their participation – and victory – in the 1,000 Miles of Sebring for the World Endurance Championship.
  • 124: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 113 in North America and eight at Le Mans.
  • 271: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.
  • 13,534.20: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 24 previous trips to Laguna Seca. That represents 6,130 laps… or almost 800 trips around Carmel’s famous 17-Mile Drive.
  • 354,050.01: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is more than halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history: 622,268 miles. That means Corvette Racing has raced to the moon… and then some!

Corvette Racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (wins in bold)

1999

No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Chris Kneifel – 2nd in GTS

2000

No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Andy Pilgrim – 2nd in GTS (Fellows pole)

No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Justin Bell/Kelly Collins – 4th in GTS

2001

No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GTS

No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins – 3rd in GTS

2002

No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 5th in GTS

No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Andy Pilgrim/Kelly Collins – 3rd in GTS

2003

No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GTS

No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Oliver Gavin/Kelly Collins – 3rd in GTS

2004

No. 3 Corvette C5-R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 1st in GTS (O’Connell fastest race lap)

No. 4 Corvette C5-R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 2nd in GTS (Beretta pole)

2005

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1 (Gavin fastest race lap)

2006

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell – 3rd in GT1

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 2nd in GT1 (Beretta fastest race lap)

2007

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT1 (Magnussen pole, fastest race lap)

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1

2008

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen – 2nd in GT1 (Magnussen pole, fastest race lap)

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 1st in GT1

2009

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 2nd in GT2 (Magnussen pole, fastest race lap)

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin – 10th in GT2

2010

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Johnny O’Connell – 6th in GT2

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 3rd in GT2

2011

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Olivier Beretta/Tommy Milner – 7th in GT

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Jan Magnussen – 5th in GT

2012

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 2nd in GT

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 1st in GT (Gavin fastest race lap)

2013

No. 3 Corvette C6.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 1st in GT

No. 4 Corvette C6.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 9th in GT

2014

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 1st in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM

2015

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 7th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 6th in GTLM

2016

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 4th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 7th in GTLM

2017

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 4th in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 8th in GTLM

2018

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 3rd in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 5th in GTLM (Gavin pole)

2019

No. 3 Corvette C7.R: Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia – 3rd in GTLM

No. 4 Corvette C7.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 4th in GTLM (Milner fastest race lap)

2020

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GTLM (Taylor pole)

No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 6th in GTLM (Milner fastest race lap)

2021

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2nd in GTLM (Taylor pole)

No. 4 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 1st in GTLM (Tandy fastest race lap)

2022

No. 3 Corvette C8.R: Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 4th in GTLM

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Team USA Olympian Drew Kibler Named Grand Marshal of GMR Grand Prix

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Tickets On Sale Now for Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 10, 2023) – Team USA Olympic swimmer and Indiana native Drew Kibler will serve as grand marshal of the 2023 GMR Grand Prix on Saturday, May 13 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Kibler, born in Indianapolis and raised in Carmel, will give the command for drivers to start their engines during pre-race ceremonies.

“It’s an honor to be grand marshal for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES road course race that kicks off the Month of May at IMS,” Kibler said. “As someone who grew up just north of Indianapolis, I know exactly how special May is to this community, and I’m excited to be part of an epic day at the Racing Capital of the World.”

A specialist in freestyle swimming events, Kibler is a world-record holder in the short course 4×200 meter freestyle relay. He won a gold medal in this event at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships (long course) and the 2022 World Short Course Championships. He was a member of the 4×200 meter freestyle relay team that took fourth at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo for Team USA.

In addition, Kibler is a three-time All-American, three-time Big 12 champion and the 2019 NCAA champion in the 800-freestyle relay. He is also a three-time NCAA champion in the 4×200 yard freestyle relay, winning NCAA titles in the event in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

“Drew Kibler has represented the USA and Indiana on some of the biggest stages in global sports, so it’s fitting for him to call drivers to their cars at the Racing Capital of the World,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “It’s always special when a fellow Hoosier can be part of Race Day.”

NBC’s live coverage of the GMR Grand Prix starts at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, May 13 as the heavyweights of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES take on the action-packed twists and turns of the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at IMS.

Visit IMS.com to purchase tickets for the GMR Grand Prix and for more information on the complete Month of May schedule at IMS.

Indianapolis will host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials in June 2024. For the first time ever, the event will be staged on a football field, as Lucas Oil Stadium is tapped to host the Olympic-qualifying meet in front of hundreds of thousands over nine days. 2024 will mark the 100-year anniversary since Indianapolis hosted the Olympic Swimming Trials for the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be presented across the networks and platforms of NBCUniversal next summer.

Toyota Racing – Weekly Preview – 05.10.23

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This Week in Motorsports: May 8-14, 2023

· NCS/NXS/NCTS: Darlington Raceway– May 12-14
· ARCA: Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway – May 13

PLANO, Texas (May 10, 2023) – It is time for the annual throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway for all three national series of NASCAR.

NASCAR National Series – NCS | NXS | NCTS

Hamlin looks to add to Darlington success… Coming off his first win of the season, Denny Hamlin heads to one of his best tracks on the circuit. Hamlin owns four NASCAR Cup Series victories, and five NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at the track. He has finished inside the top-five in four of the last six races at Darlington.

Toyota ranks high in standings… At the one-third point of the season, Toyota drivers rank high in the point standings. Christopher Bell (second), Martin Truex Jr. (third), Hamlin (fourth) and Tyler Reddick (sixth) all have race wins and rank among the top-six in the point standings.

Wallace double duty… For the first time this season, Bubba Wallace will run two races this weekend. Wallace will make his 2023 Truck Series season debut in the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. The Alabama-native has six wins in 49 starts in the series but will be making his first Truck Series start at Darlington. In the Cup Series, Wallace finished a track-best ninth last fall in the Southern 500.

Nemechek at one of his best tracks… John Hunter Nemechek has been impressive at Darlington Raceway throughout his career. Nemechek earned his first career Cup Series top-10 finish at the track in 2020, while last season Nemechek won the Truck Series race and finished in the top-10 in both Xfinity Series races, driving for Sam Hunt Racing. Coming into this weekend, Nemechek sits just four points outside of the top spot in the Xfinity Series standings on the strength of two wins and eight top-10 finishes in 10 races.

Heim continues to run strong… Corey Heim added another strong run at Kansas Speedway over the weekend with a runner-up finish, marking the Toyota driver’s sixth top-10 finish in eight races – which is tied for the series best. Heim looks for multiple strong runs this weekend as the Toyota development driver runs double duty in the NASCAR ranks for the first time. The Georgia native will run in his normal No. 11 TRICON Garage Toyota Tundra TRD Pro on Friday night, before making his second career Xfinity Series start on Saturday in the No. 24 Sam Hunt Racing Toyota GR Supra.

NASCAR Regional Series – ARCA East

Sawalich looks to extend points lead… After back-to-back top-five finishes to start the ARCA East season, William Sawalich holds a slim one-point advantage in the point standings. Sawalich has started from the pole in both races so far this season, led laps in both and is averaging a 2.5 place finish.

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Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 22 electrified options.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

JR Motorsports — NXS Darlington Preview

By
Official Release
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JR MOTORSPORTS TEAM PREVIEW:
TRACK: Darlington Raceway
RACE: Shriners Children’s 200 (147 laps / 200.8 miles)
DATE: Saturday, May 13, 2023

Broadcast Information – TV: 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX / Radio: 1 p.m. ET on MRN and Sirius XM Ch. 90

Sam Mayer
No. 1 Accelerate Professional Talent Solutions Chevrolet

  • Sam Mayer heads to Darlington Raceway this weekend coming off a top-10 finish at Dover Motor Speedway that bumped him up to 11th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series point standings.
  • In three NXS starts at “The Lady in Black,” Mayer has scored one top-five finish, earned in this race last season.
  • In tracks measuring under 1.5 miles in length, the Franklin, Wis. native has made 21 starts and has recorded seven topfive and 10 top-10 finishes, with his best (third) coming at Richmond Raceway (spring 2022).
  • The No. 1 Chevrolet will feature a throwback scheme to Kurt Busch’s rookie year paint scheme from 2001 this weekend.

Josh Berry
No. 8 Tire Pros Chevrolet

  • Josh Berry returns to Darlington this weekend with a special throwback paint scheme honoring the No. 8 machine campaigned in 1996 by Hut Stricklin. The car features Tire Pros colors that correlate with Stricklin’s Cup Series paint scheme from that year.
  • In four starts at the “Track Too Tough to Tame,” Berry has a second-place result in the spring of 2021 and an eighthplace result in the fall race last season.
  • Berry has been near the front all season long and comes off his best finish of the season (second) two weeks ago at Dover Motor Speedway.

Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards/Cheez-It Chevrolet

  • Brandon Jones has made 10 starts at “The Lady in Black” and has recorded one win, two top-five and five top-10 finishes. The 26-year-old’s win came during the 2020 season.
  • In 121 starts on tracks measuring between 1-2 miles in length in the NXS, Jones has recorded four wins, 18 top fives and 54 top 10s. Jones has also posted the quick time in qualifying in six of those events.
  • Crew chief Jason Burdett has been atop the pit box for 10 races at Darlington and has put together an impressive stat line with two wins, four top fives and eight top 10s.

Justin Allgaier
No. 7 BRANDT Professional Agriculture 70th Anniversary Heritage Chevrolet

  • Justin Allgaier heads to Darlington this weekend looking for his third consecutive victory in the spring event at the “Track Too Tough To Tame.”
  • In addition to the two wins, Allgaier has placed inside the top five in three out of the last four races. With a top-10 finish in the fourth event, it’s a record dating back to his May 2021 victory.
  • In 15 career NXS starts at Darlington, the Illinois native has earned six top fives and 11 top 10s.
  • This weekend, Allgaier’s No. 7 Chevrolet will be paying homage to the 70th anniversary of primary partner BRANDT Professional Agriculture with the BRANDT Heritage Camaro.

Driver Quotes

“Throwback weekend is always fun and I am excited to honor Kurt Busch with his rookie year paint scheme. I had a really good run in this race last season and really looking forward to going back there with this No. 1 team this weekend. I am hopeful that we can turn our luck around coming off this off-week and contend for some wins.” – Sam Mayer

“I love racing in Darlington. This is a place that has been really strong for us since I came to JRM and I can’t wait to see what we can do this weekend. We’ve run up front in each of the last handful of races here, and have been fortunate enough to come away with two wins in the process. Hopefully, we will be just as fast again this Saturday, especially with our special BRANDT Professional Agriculture 70th anniversary Heritage Chevrolet. It would be pretty special to be able to bring this scheme to Victory Lane for Rick (Brandt) and everyone at BRANDT.” – Justin Allgaier

“We were pretty good at Darlington my first season and we were in the top 10 here in the fall, so I’m looking for a good day with our No. 8 Tire Pros Chevrolet. It’s an honor to carry Hut Stricklin’s scheme from 1996, and Tire Pros does an awesome job in supporting our throwback efforts. We’ve been good all season and been close to some wins, and I’d sure like to get one for Tire Pros and this No. 8 team this weekend.” – Josh Berry

“It was a good off week but I’m ready to get back behind the wheel of this Menards/Cheez-It No. 9. Darlington is one of my favorite tracks with the worn-out surface and how much the tires wear out during a run. I’ve had some success here and this No. 9 team has found Victory Lane a few times, so my confidence is high this week. This is the week to get this No. 9 team a great finish and get more momentum going in our direction.” – Brandon Jones

JRM Team Updates

  • JR Motorsports at Darlington: JR Motorsports has competed at Darlington Raceway a combined 59 times in the NXS. Over the course of those starts at the track dubbed “Too Tough To Tame,” JRM has tallied six wins, 19 top fives and 37 top 10s. The organization has tamed “The Lady in Black” for four consecutive races at the 1.366-mile oval with Noah Gragson and Justin Allgaier both winning two each.
  • Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones will be at the JR Motorsports / Legacy M.C. souvenir rig in the Darlington Raceway Fan Zone on Saturday, May 13 from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • Throwback Weekend: This weekend at Darlington Raceway JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry will be running unique schemes aboard their respective Camaros. Mayer is running a similar livery to Kurt Busch’s scheme from his rookie season in 2001. Josh Berry is throwing back to Hut Stricklin’s 1996 Cup colors, a scheme that Stricklin took to a second-place finish in the Southern 500 after leading 143 laps. Justin Allgaier takes the No. 7 way back as he ru

BJ McLeod Announces His Official Partnership with Affliction

By
Official Release
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Driver of the #78 Chevy Camaro in the NASCAR Cup Series, BJ McLeod, announces his official partnership with Affliction.

(Mooresville, NC) – Affliction officially welcomes professional Nascar Cup Series driver BJ McLeod to the team. This clothing company has made themselves known by striving to create “the most unique clothing in the world”. After giving BJ a tour around the headquarters, Affliction realized BJ would be the perfect addition.

“We had the opportunity to show BJ around the Affliction headquarters and we quickly realized how big of a supporter of the brand he is,” said the Affliction Team. “We are excited to have BJ represent the LIVE FAST lifestyle and we can’t wait to show all of the exciting projects we have lined up with BJ and his team.”

BJ McLeod, who pilots the #78 Chevy Camaro in the NASCAR Cup Series, has been a proud supporter of this brand for quite some time. As a driver who embraces his own style, he can normally be found in a backwards hat, Affliction clothing, and an epic pair of spiked boots.

“I’ve been wearing Affliction clothing for almost two decades so seeing this partnership come to life is a dream come true,” said NASCAR Cup Series Driver BJ McLeod. “The Affliction brand stands for passion and drive and I know when it comes to racing and being a business owner you need a lot of both.”

We are super excited to see where this partnership with Affliction will lead. Stay tuned for more info and announcements as we take Affliction Clothing to the next level.

About Live Fast Motorsports:

Live Fast Motorsports is a single-car Chevy Camaro team based in Mooresville, NC., competing in the NASCAR Cup Series under the No. 78. The team is co-owned by B.J. McLeod and Matt Tifft. B.J. McLeod also serves as the team’s driver. Jessica McLeod, CEO of Live Fast Motorsports, gives a progressive outlook in breaking down barriers in the sport of NASCAR and inspiring opportunities for women in the sport for generations to come.

About Affliction:

AFFLICTION: THE PASSION THAT DRIVES US TO REACH FOR GREATNESS. WE ARE INSPIRED BY THOSE WHO LIVE FAST AND ARE WILLING TO ENDURE PAIN AND SUFFERING TO PUSH THE LIMITS OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE. YOU EMBRACE THE IDEOLOGY OF NEVER SAY I CAN’T, BUT I AM THE FIRST WHO EVER HAS. YOUR AFFLICTION MAKES YOU BUILD WHEN OTHERS BUY. YOU BELIEVE IN CRAFTSMANSHIP OVER COMMODITY. YOUR AFFLICTION MAKES YOU LEAD WHEN OTHERS CHOOSE TO FOLLOW. YOU CREATE WHEN OTHERS CONSUME. YOU HEAR MUSIC WHEN OTHERS HEAR NOISE. YOUR AFFLICTION LETS YOU SEE BEYOND THE CHAOS AS ART EMERGES FROM WITHIN. YOU WILL RISE, YOU WILL FALL, BUT YOU WILL GREET THE CHALLENGE. YOU, INNOVATORS, ARE THE FUEL. OUR AFFLICTION IS A NEVER-ENDING PASSION TO DESIGN AND CREATE ALTERNATIVE CLOTHING AND EDGY STYLES THAT SPEAKS TO YOU. WE SHARE YOUR INSANITY AND WILL NOT BE IGNORED. YOU INSPIRE US TO MAKE UNIQUE CLOTHING THAT FITS YOUR STYLE. THE DAYS OF CONFORMING TO THE STATUS QUO ARE OVER. EXPRESS YOURSELF TO THE FULLEST WITH OUR LINE OF EDGY CLOTHING FOR THE REBEL AT HEART.

IT IS OUR AFFLICTION THAT BINDS US. TOGETHER WE WILL CHANGE THINGS. EVERY MAN DIES, NOT EVERY MAN TRULY LIVES! WHAT IS YOUR AFFLICTION?

Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport Kicks Off 2023 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

By
Official Release
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(Monterey, Calif.) May 10, 2023 — Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport (WTRAndretti) will make its’ return to the grid for the 2023 Lamborghini Super Huracán North America (LST) season beginning this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the opening rounds of competition. The four-car stable, featuring five drivers, will compete in three classes within the LST field. WTRAndretti’s 2023 LST lineup includes returning PRO class champions, Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal, as well as newcomers Ryan Norman, Nate Stacy, and Graham Doyle to LST competition.

Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal will pilot the No. 1 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán EVO2 – newly dressed in Harrison Contracting Company red – for the third-consecutive LST season together and look to repeat their PRO championship title for 2023. The co-driver duo has past success at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, capturing two wins in their four LST races since 2021 at the natural terrain road course.

Ryan Norman joins the WTRAndretti driver lineup for the 2023 LST schedule in the No. 84 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán EVO2 and will be a single driver in the PRO class category. Norman might be new to the LST field, but the Ohio-native has a driving resume that includes open-wheel racing and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC).

Competing in the PRO|AM class for 2023 behind the wheel of the No. 8 WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán EVO2 is Nate Stacy. Stacy has a successful history of sportscar racing including IMPC and Pirelli World Challenge and is ready to capitalize on a new racing path through LST competition.

Rounding out the stable of WTRAndretti drivers for the 2023 LST season is Graham Doyle. The 17-year-old rookie driver will make his racing competition debut at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the LST LB Cup class in the No. 10 DEX Imaging with WTRAndretti Lamborghini Huracán EVO2.

Action begins for all LST classes with opening practice at 9:25 a.m. PT on Friday, May 12. The first LST race of the doubleheader weekend goes green at 3:20 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 13, followed by the second race at 9:40 a.m. PT on Sunday, May 14. All race coverage will be available on IMSA.TV.

Kyle Marcelli, No. 1 WTRAndretti (PRO)
“Laguna Seca is always an exciting place to race. It’s a unique circuit where the grip is limited and so are the track limits. It’s a fun place to drive and improve your craft as a racing driver as you need to be very mindful of your tire wear. Historically we’ve done well at Laguna Seca and my expectations are much of the same for 2023. I’m confident in our WTRAndretti team and our engineering to give us the best chance. At this point, the only unknown for me is the competition but we will soon find out where we stack up.”

Danny Formal, No. 1 WTRAndretti (PRO)
“Well, nothing says Lamborghini Super Trofeo like Laguna Seca. It has been the first race the last two years and it’s one of our favorite tracks. We had a win and a second place from last year. I’m super excited to be back. I’m also excited to try the new tire especially around a track like Laguna Seca where the degradation is so high and tire management is so important. I’m so forever grateful to Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport for this opportunity to represent them in this championship. Kyle and I are ready to go start the season with a couple of wins. It’s a super competitive championship so it’s not easy to win so every time we do it’s so special, so hopefully, we could have a lot of special moments in 2023 and bring another championship to WTRAndretti.”

Ryan Norman, No. 84 WTRAndretti (PRO)
“I’m so excited to get to Laguna for the first race weekend of the season. I was able to do a couple days of testing in the car and I’m feeling really good. I want to thank Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport for this opportunity and we will be ready to give it our all!”

Nate Stacy, No. 8 WTRAndretti (PRO|AM)
“Laguna Seca is one of my favorite tracks on the calendar! I’ve historically driven well here, and the low grip aspect is something that suits my driving style well. Can’t wait to put rubber to the road and start turning laps this season!”

Graham Doyle, No. 10 DEX Imaging with WTRAndretti (LB Cup)
“I’m really excited to get behind the wheel and show everyone what I have learned and what I can do. Since I haven’t been to Laguna Seca before, I spend about five to eight hours a week on my simulator in online races and practice the layout of the track and try to get comfortable. Obviously, I’m most excited about The Corkscrew. It’s kind of what makes the track incredible to me and one of the coolest corners in racing. The most challenging part of the track for me I would say are Turns 1 and 2, coming off the front straight with a lot of speed. I can’t wait to see how the whole weekend goes, seeing all of the Lamborghinis on track and start getting to know everyone on the WTRAndretti team – it’s going to be really fun.”

ABOUT WTRANDRETTI’S DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, Wayne Taylor Racing, now with Andretti Autosport (#WTRAndretti), is a leader in sportscar racing, recognized worldwide for fielding championship winning racing efforts since 2007. WTRAndretti has run a stable of championship winning cars and drivers in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series for over half a decade, forming the basis of their Driver Development Program. Since its inception in 2015, the team has clinched eight North American PRO Driver, Team and Dealer Championship titles, fielded the first woman World Finals race winner and became the overall 2017 Champions at the World Finals in Imola, Italy. WTRAndretti’s Driver Development program has grown into interim classes and series as it evolves to encompass a greater variety of skill and experience levels. WTRAndretti currently fields a GTP program with it Championship winning No 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-06 effort as well as GT3 programs in both the IMSA Michelin Endurance Championship and Fanatec GT World Challenge with Harrison Contracting Company, Acura, Honda Performance Development (HPD) and Racers Edge Motorsports.

For more information on Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport’s Driver Development Program and how to get involved, contact Travis Houge at info@waynetaylorracing.com.

Chris Gabehart to call 150th Cup event as crew chief at Darlington

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images.

A significant milestone start is in the making for Chris Gabehart, crew chief for Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota TRD Camry team in the NASCAR Cup Series. By participating in this weekend’s Cup throwback event at Darlington Raceway for the Goodyear 400, Gabehart will call his 150th event as crew chief in NASCAR’s premier series.

A native of Lafayette, Indiana, and a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in mechanical engineering, Gabehart’s career path to NASCAR began when he competed in go-karts at age 10 in the World Karting Association. He eventually moved up to late models and the ARCA Series before retiring in 2007 due to sponsorship and financial issues. Not long after, he became an engineer for Kyle Busch Motorsports’ late model and Truck Series program before teaming up with Joe Gibbs Racing as an engineer in both the Xfinity and Cup circuits. From 2016 to 2018, Gabehart became a crew chief for JGR in the Xfinity circuit, where he accumulated a total of nine victories with names that included Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Preece.

In 2017, Gabehart made his inaugural presence as a Cup Series crew chief for Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 JGR Toyota Camry team at Richmond Raceway in September. Gabehart’s role as a crew chief was an interim role for a one-race basis after Mike Wheeler, Hamlin’s full-time crew chief, was serving a two-race suspension due to illegal suspensions that were found on Hamlin’s race-winning car during the previous weekend at Darlington Raceway. With Gabehart atop the pit box of the No. 11 team at Richmond, Hamlin ended up in fifth place despite being involved in a last lap incident involving Martin Truex Jr.

In 2019, Gabehart was named a full-time crew chief for Hamlin and the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry team for the full Cup Series season. The new duo commenced the season on a high note by winning the 61st running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in February. The victory, which was the second 500 win for Hamlin and snapped his 47-race winless drought, served as a memorable one for the driver, crew chief and the JGR organization with the team mourning the loss of the team’s president and son of owner Joe Gibbs, J.D. Gibbs. Six races later, Gabehart and Hamlin achieved their second victory of the season at Texas Motor Speedway in March. They went on to win at Pocono Raceway in July and Bristol Motor Speedway in August before the 2019 Cup Playoffs commenced. With victories at Kansas Speedway in October and Phoenix Raceway in November, Gabehart and Hamlin managed to transfer all the way from the Round of 16 to the Championship 4 round at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November and compete for the series title. During the finale, however, Hamlin made a late unscheduled pit stop to fix an overheating issue to his car and ended up in 10th place on the track and in fourth place in the final championship standings. Overall, Gabehart achieved six victories, three poles, a career-best 19 top-five results, 24 top-10 results, 922 laps led and an average-finishing result of 9.5 in his first full-time Cup season with Hamlin.

Remaining as Hamlin’s crew chief for the 2020 Cup season, the duo commenced the season on a high note by winning the 62nd running of the Daytona 500, where Hamlin dodged a harrowing final lap wreck involving Ryan Newman to edge Ryan Blaney in a photo finish to repeat as a champion in the Great American Race. Their second victory of the season occurred five races later after Hamlin won a rain-shortened event at Darlington Raceway in May. Two races later at Charlotte Motor Speedway, however, Gabehart was suspended for the following four races due to ballast that fell out of Hamlin’s car prior to the start of the Coca-Cola 600. When Gabehart returned atop the pit box at Homestead in June, Hamlin ended up winning the event after leading a race-high 137 of 267 laps. The duo went on to win at Pocono in June, Kansas in July and Dover in August before making their second consecutive trip to the Playoffs. After finishing in the top 10 three times through nine Playoff events, including claiming a wild victory at Talladega Superspeedway in October, Gabehart and Hamlin managed to accumulate enough points and strong results to transfer all the way from the Round of 16 to the Championship 4 finale for a second consecutive time. During the finale, however, Hamlin ended up as the fourth highest-finishing competitor of the final four finalists both on the track and in the final standings for a second consecutive season. Despite being absent for four events, Gabehart managed to accumulate seven victories, 16 top-five results and 19 top-10 results with Hamlin and the No. 11 JGR team.

At the start of the 2021 Cup season, Gabehart and Hamlin fell short in their bid to win a third consecutive Daytona 500 as Hamlin settled in fifth place in the final running order. Despite going winless in the regular-season stretch, the No. 11 team accumulated 13 top-five results and 17 top-10 results in 26 races, which were enough for them to make the 2021 Cup Playoffs. At the start of the Playoffs, they achieved their first elusive win of the season at Darlington Raceway in September and a one-way ticket from the Round of 16 to 12 after Hamlin fended off a last lap challenge from Kyle Larson. Three races later, Gabehart and Hamlin clinched a spot for the Round of 8 after winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in September. Despite finishing no higher than fifth during the Round of 8, they transferred to the Championship 4 finale. Given a third consecutive opportunity to contend for the title, Gabehart and Hamlin fell short in their third bid after finishing in third place both during the finale at Phoenix and in the final standings. With two victories achieved throughout the 2021 Cup season, Gabehart accumulated a total of 19 top-five results, a career-high 25 top-10 results, a career-high 1,502 laps led and an average-finishing result of 8.4 in his third season as a Cup crew chief with Hamlin. By then, Gabehart surpassed 100 Cup events called as a crew chief.

This past season, Gabehart and Hamlin rallied from finishing no higher than 13th during the first six scheduled events by achieving their first victory of the season at Richmond in April. Then in early May, Gabehart was issued a second four-race suspension from NASCAR for a loose wheel that came off of Hamlin’s car at Dover in late April. While JGR attempted to appeal the penalty, the penalty was denied by mid-May and Gabehart was suspended for four events that included the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May, the inaugural Cup event at World Wild Technology Raceway, Sonoma Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway in June. Amid Gabehart’s absence, Hamlin won the Coke 600 with engineer and interim crew chief Sam McAulay before finishing no higher than sixth during his following three starts. Upon returning at Road America in July, Gabehart and Hamlin finished in the top 10 three times during the final nine regular-season events on the schedule before the 2022 Cup Playoffs commenced. Despite finishing no lower than 13th throughout the Playoffs, the duo missed the cutline to the Championship 4 finale by a mere margin after Hamlin was overtaken by a bold move by title rival Ross Chastain on the final lap at Martinsville in November. With an eighth-place result in the finale, Gabehart and Hamlin concluded the season in fifth place in the final standings.

Through 149 previous Cup events, Gabehart has achieved 17 victories, five poles, 67 top-five results, 88 top-10 results and 4,064 laps led, all while working with Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team. The duo is coming off their first victory of the season at Kansas Speedway. To go along with a pole, three top-five results and five top-10 results through the first 12-scheduled events, they are tied with teammate Truex and the No. 19 JGR team for third place in the driver’s standings.

Gabehart is scheduled to call his 150th Cup Series event as a crew chief at Darlington Raceway for the Goodyear 400 on Sunday, May 14. The event’s broadcast time is scheduled to commence at 3 p.m. ET on FS1.

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